PZPN

Czesław Michniewicz on talks with the President of PZPN:

I am extremely grateful for the trust placed in me by the President of the Polish Football Association, who entrusted me with leading the most important team in the country. Today, my dreams are coming true. I am very touched and positive about my duties. As far as the negotiations are concerned, I have been in contact with the President for a long time. We talked about the style of play of the national team, the management of the team and the coaching staff. The President openly admitted that he was talking to other candidates as well but I did not lose hope. At that time, I was working on the concept of the team's style of play. I was also analysing the style of play of the Russians. The President is a very tough negotiator but we managed to negotiate an agreement. Both parties are satisfied with the outcome of the talks.

...about the national team's coaching staff:

I spoke to the President about the composition of the coaching staff. Many of its members will be recruited from the U-21 team. These are people I have worked with and know very well. The final composition of the staff will be presented by the end of the week, after the approval of the Management Board of PZPN.

... about the time remaining before the match against Russia:

The match with Russia is 52 days away. This is a lot of time for a coach. It would be blasphemous to complain about its lack. It is league coaches who have little time, not national team coaches. For many players, I am a new coach, but I have also worked with many of them already. First of all, I would like to meet with the core of the national team. These are players who have a great deal of experience. I would like to meet with Robert Lewandowski later this week, while other players can expect a visit in the following weeks. As a coach, I am very happy with the time we have left. I had in the back of my mind that there might be an opportunity to lead the national team and I did not waste a minute from the moment of Paulo Sousa's departure until the moment I got the job. I know a lot about the team.

...about consultations with national team players:

Contrary to some opinions, I love playing offensively but, most of all, I love winning. I would be very happy to talk to Robert Lewandowski about how he would like to win. I think he should have something to say about the style of play of the national team. I will give him my point of view and we will talk. The final decision will be mine, of course, but I intend to listen to the voice of the team. A coach can learn all the time, that's where his wisdom comes from.

... about the difficult moment in which the coach took over the national team:

A coach who takes the helm of a national team, even at such a difficult time, is no commando. He is a lucky man because his work has been recognised. I became a head coach in a complicated situation but the goal has not changed. The national team always wants to play in major tournaments. I am not a miracle worker but those who elected me trust that I am competent enough to secure a promotion.

...about the potentially short cooperation:

I am not afraid that my journey with the national team may be short. I am a happy man today. I always think of Henryk Kasperczak, who never became a head coach and I think this is a mistake. Circumstances were not in his favour; for me, it was the other way around this time. I was not employed by any club so the President could approach me. I know how football works: in the end, it is always the result that counts. That is what we will be focusing on. We are preparing for the match against Russia. That is all that we care about. I won't be thinking about Sweden's match against the Czech Republic.

... about formations and style of play:

When it comes to formations, we will be very flexible. We want to modify them depending on the score and be able to adapt. We can play in different systems, switching from one to another seamlessly throughout the match. We have to consider a broad spectrum, watch many players. I would like the core of the team to remain unchanged because these players give the team character. However, I am not closing the door to anyone; anyone can jump on the team and play. There are players such as Sebastian Szymański or Szymon Żurkowski who have not been given their chance recently. I want to give everyone a chance, the team will be extensive. Failure to advance will certainly be a disaster. I am not going to sugar-coat this in any way. You have to call a spade a spade, no matter what. We must do everything in our power to prevent that. Much will depend on reactions on the pitch; in this respect, football is like tennis: sometimes you defend and sometimes you attack. That is why the players must know how to play in specific phases of the match.

... about the Russian national team:

The Russian national team has many strengths but it also has its problems. It's hard to guess how they will play, in what formation. Artem Dzyuba's possible performance will be crucial; with him in the line-up, the "Sbornaya" definitely play differently. The potential of our rival is best defined by their position in the qualifiers table; this team was a step away from direct promotion. The Russians don't play with great finesse but they are certainly a very solid team, based on strict rules. They also have some very technically advanced, creative players. I know many of them either from the U-21 national team competitions or from matches against Spartak Moscow. I am also going to Russia to watch the matches involving Polish players but also to watch the opponents and try to find an answer to the question of what can help us.

...about which of Paulo Sousa's ideas can be used:

I watched the match against England live and I wish the team would always play at the same level as they did then. Every coach has different tactical assumptions and the players need to know this. However, I will certainly try to bring out the good behaviour they displayed under Paulo Sousa. The players must know how we want to build the attack, how to defend. They will be aware of how to work together. It is all about football intelligence. Our national team players are very intelligent and I will try to assist them. As for my predecessor, I will certainly not resign from the Polish national team. The national team can give up on me, not the other way around.